THE OPENING OF MECCA Hayatus Sahabah by Muhadith Kandahlawi (Kandhelvi) Rendered into current English Khadeijah Abdullah Darwish (Anne Stephens) With supporting extracts from her Millennium Biography of Prophet Muhammad Praise and peace be upon him, Free give away Acquired from Amazon’s Kindle Not for sale or resale by any third party ©2013 - www.Muhammad.com PRELUDE TO THE OPENING OF MECCA The tribe of Bakr had allied itself to the tribe of Koraysh, whereas the tribe of Khuzah had more recently allied itself to the Muslims at Hudaybiyah. There had been a feud between the two tribes for many years but despite the ten-year peace treaty of Hudaybiyah, in which both parties had taken part and bound by honor to observe, the tribe of Bakr was still bent on prolonging the feud. One night shortly after Amr's return to Mecca from Syria, the tribe of Bakr attacked the tribe of Khuzah and killed one of their tribesmen. During the skirmish the Koraysh assisted their allies with a supply of weapons and some even went so far as to take part in the fighting in the Sacred area -- an area in which fighting had always been strictly forbidden. Tribesmen from Ka'b, a branch of the Khuzah, rode in haste to Medina to request the Prophet's help. When he learned of the unprovoked attack he told the envoys to return and that he would come to their assistance. As the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, entered Lady Ayesha's room she could tell from the expression on his face that all was not well as he asked her to bring some water so that he might renew his ablution. As he poured the water over his limbs she heard him say, "May I not be helped if I do not help the sons of Ka'b," whereupon she realized the grave implications. THE OPENING OF MECCA THE UNDETECTED MARCH TO MECCA It was now the 10th of Ramadan in the 8th year after the Migration when the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, called upon his Companions to prepare themselves (to march) but did not disclose their destination. In preparation for his absence the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, appointed Abu Ruhm Kulthom, son of Husayn Ghifari to be his Amir in Medina. There are several narrations concerning the Opening of Mecca. In order to distinguish each one, the narration has been numbered. 1. Abdullah, son of Abbas narrates that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, that as he and his ten thousand Companions left Medina en-route for Mecca they were fasting, none of the Emigrant or Helpers remained behind. Upon reaching the oasis of Usfan and Amj they broke their fast after which they proceeded to a place known as Marruz Zahran and it is there that they struck camp. Accompanying the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and his Companions were also one thousand armed tribesmen with provisions from the tribes of Muzayna and Sulaym. The Koraysh remained unaware of the movements of the Muslims and that night Abu Sufyan, son of Harb, Hakeem, son of Hizam and Budayl, son of Warqa left Mecca to scout around for any news of the Muslim’s movements. Abbas also left Mecca but not as a scout rather to join the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and met him on the road to Medina. 2. Abbas speaks of the time when the Muslims were camped at Maruz Zahran and said to the Companions, “The Koraysh are destroyed! By Allah, if the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon, were to enter Mecca by force before the Koraysh sought amnesty from him, it would signal the destruction of the Koraysh.” Abbas then mounted the white mule of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and set out for Mecca. When he reached a place called Arak, he thought there was a possibility that he would meet a woodcutter, or someone milking their animal, or perhaps another who had come out for some need. In an effort to bring about an amnesty, Abbas intended to inform any one he met of the place where the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, was camped, before he had a chance to enter Mecca. Abbas said he continued to look for someone when he heard the voices of Abu Sufyhan and Budayl, son of Waraqa talking to each other. Abu Sufyan was saying to Budayl, “By Allah, to this day I have never seen such a large concentration of campfires, nor yet an army so large. Budayl said, ‘By Allah, these are the campfires of the tribe of Khuzah it appears as if there will be a war.” Abu Sufyan said, “By Allah, the tribe of Khuzah is smaller than that. This cannot be just their fires and army.’ Having recognized Abu Sufyan’s voice, Abbas called out, ‘O Abu Handhala!’ whereupon Abu Sufyan inquired, ‘Abu; Fadhl?’ Abbas confirmed that it was he, and Abu Sufyan replied, “May my parents be sacrificed for you, what are you doing here?” Abbas replied, ‘Shame on you, Abu Sufyan, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, is here with his people. By Allah, the Koraysh will surely be destroyed.’ Abu Sufyan asked, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, what then is the solution?’ Abbas replied, “If the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, captures you, he will surely have your head. Ride with me on the back of this mule, so that I can take you to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, to seek amnesty with him.’ Abu Sufyan mounted and his companions returned to Mecca. Abbas and Abu Sufyan rode in haste to the where the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was camped. As Abbas and Abu Sufyan rode by each campfire the Muslims would ask “Who goes there?” When they recognized the white mule of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, they would say, “It is the uncle of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him.” When Abbas and Abu Sufyan reached the campfire of Omar, he blocked their way and challenged the riders saying, “Who goes there?” When he saw Abu Sufyan riding on the back of the mule he cried out, “The enemy of Allah! Praise be to Allah who has handed you over without either a truce or amnesty!” Thereupon Omar ran at great haste to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and Abbas spurred the mule on so as to be the first to reach him. Omar arrived shortly thereafter, and said, “Here is Abu Sufyan, Allah has handed him over with neither a truce nor amnesty, allow me to execute him.” Abbas intervened saying, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, I have granted Abu Sufyan my protection” whereupon Omar continued to protest. Abbas retorted, “Enough Omar, had he been from your tribe, you would not have spoken like this. You say this because you know he belongs to the tribe of Banu Abd Manaf.” Omar, replied, “O Abbas, your acceptance of Islam pleased the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, more than if my father Khatab had embraced Islam.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, then said to Abbas, “Take him to your tent and in the morning bring him back to me.” And so Abu Sufyan spent that night secure in the tent of Abbas. The following morning, Abbas took Abu Sufyan to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. Upon their arrival, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said to Abu Sufyan, “Shame on you, O Abu Sufyan, isn’t it time for you to bear witness that there is no god except Allah?” Abu Sufyan replied, “May my parents be sacrificed for you, you are so noble, lenient and good toward your relatives. Until now I had reservations about this. I am now convinced that had there been any god other than Allah, he would have surely come to my assistance.” Abbas spoke saying, “Shame on you, O Abu Sufyan, accept Islam and bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah before you are executed.” Abu Sufyan was convinced and accepted Islam. Abbas spoke to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, saying, “Abu Sufyan is highly respected, so let him still be respected.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, compassionately agreed and told Abu Sufyan, “Whosoever enters your house will be safe, as will be whosoever locks his door or enters the confines of the Sacred Mosque.” As Abu Sufyan was about to leave, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “O Abbas, take him to the point in the valley where the mountain protrudes so that he may witness the armies of Allah march by.” Whereupon Abbas took Abu Sufyan to see all the different tribes pass by bearing their banners. As each tribe passed by Abu Sufyan would ask Abbas who they were. The first was the tribe of the Banu Sulaym, whereupon Abu Sufyan asked, “What have I got to do with the Banu Sulaym, (why are they marching against us)? Thereafter the tribe of Muzaynah marched by and Abu Sufyan asked the same question, and so he continued to ask after the passing of each tribe. One by one the tribes passed by. The last contingent was that of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, with the Migrants and Helpers who wore their armor with the visors on the helmets down so that only their eyes could be seen. Abu Sufyan was unable to discern who they were and exclaimed, “Exalted is Allah, who are they?” “That,” replied Abbas is the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, with the Migrants and Ansars.” Abu Sufyan said, “None has the power or capacity to resist them. O Abul Fadhl! I swear by Allah, the empire of your nephew has indeed become enormous.” Abbas replied, “O Abu Sufyan, that is the prophethood “. Abu Sufyan replied, “Indeed, it is.” Abbas then said to him, “Go to your people (to inform them about what you have seen).” Abu Sufyan left and returned to Mecca and went to his people shouting at the top of his voice, “O Koraysh, Muhammad is nearby with an army the might of which you are unable to resist. Whosoever enter my house will be safe.” Upon hearing this, his wife Hind, daughter of Utba grabbed hold of his moustache saying, “kill this dark wretch! He is the bringer of bad news!” Abu Sufyan retorted, “Shame on you people, do not let this woman mislead you because the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, is indeed approaching with an army you have not power to restrain. Whosoever enters my house will be safe.” The people shouted out, “Shame on you, your house can never accommodate all of us!” Abu Sufyan then told them, “Whosoever locks the door of his house will be safe as will whosoever enters the Sacred Mosque.” The people dispersed and went either to their homes or to the Sacred Mosque. 3. THE ENTRANCE OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH INTO MECCA, praise and peace be upon him The son of Asakir narrated from Waqidi a report similar to that of Abdullah, son of Abbas. As did Tabrani and also mentions that when Abu Sufyan left (the presence of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him), the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, told Abbas, “Take him to the point where the valley narrows, where the mountain protrudes so that he may witness the armies of Allah passing by.” Abbas left and took Abu Sufyan to the place the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, described. Abu Sufyan was disturbed and said to Abbas, “Is this betrayal, O family of Hashim?” Abbas replied saying, “Indeed, the people of the prophethood never betray, I have brought you here for a reason.” Abu Sufyan said, “Why didn’t you do this at the beginning and tell me that you needed to bring me here. If you had done so you would have put me at ease.” Abbas replied, “It did not occur to me that you would look at it this way.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had arranged the lines of the Companions and each tribe began to pass by with its leaders carrying their banners. The contingent that led the way was the thousand strong tribe of Sulaym under the leadership of Khalid, son of Waleed. The smaller banner was carried by Abbas, son of Mirdas, another banner was carried by Khufaf, son of Nudba whereas their large banner was held high by Hajaj, son of Ilat. As they passed by, Abu Sufyan asked who they were whereupon Abbas told him, “That is Khalid, son of Waleed” and as Khalid and his contingent neared Abu Sufyan, they cried out, Allahu Akbar thrice. Next came the contingent of Zubair, son of Awam with five hundred men, some of whom were from the Migrants whereas others were unknown. Their banner was black and as they passed by Abu Sufyan Zubair proclaimed thrice, “Allah is the Greatest” which was echoed by his contingent. Abu Sufyan asked Abbas who they were and he replied, “That is Zubair, son of Awam.” “Your sister’s son?” asked Abu Sufyan. “Yes” replied Abbas. The next contingent passed by with three hundred soldiers from the Ghifar tribe. The banner was borne by Abu Dharr Ghifari. Some scholars are of the opinion that the bearer was Ima, son of Rahdah. They too proclaimed “Allah is the Greatest” thrice. Abu Sufyan did not recognize them, and asked who they were and Abbas informed him they were from the tribe of Ghifari whereupon Abu Sufyan repeated his statement, “What have they got to do with me!” Following the tribe of Ghifari came a contingent of four hundred soldiers bearing two banners, they were from the tribe of Aslam, the bearers where Buraydah, son of Husayb and Najiya, son of A’jam. Likewise they cried out thrice “Allah is the Greatest” as they passed by. Abu Sufyan was surprised and said yet again, “What have I to do with the tribe of Aslam? There has never been a dispute between us.” Abbas replied, “They are a nation that has entered the fold of Islam.” Thereafter, five hundred men from the tribe of Banu Ka’b, son of Amr passed by with Bishr, son of Shayban carrying their banner. Once again Abu Sufyan did not recognize them and asked who they were. Abbas replied, “They are the tribe of Ka’b son of Amr, they too are allies of Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him. As they passed by Abu Sufyan they exclaimed thrice, “Allah is the Greatest. Next came the tribe of Muzayna. They were a large contingent of a thousand that included one hundred cavalry and bore three banners. Their bearers were Nu’man, son of Muqarin, Bilal, son of Harith and Abdullah Arnr. Like the tribes before them, they too cried out thrice “Allah is the Greatest” as they passed by Abu Sufyan who asked which tribe they were and was told they were the tribe of Muzayna and exclaimed yet again, “What have I to do with them, they have come to me from the peaks of their mountains wearing their clattering weapons!” The tribe of Juhayna was the next to pass by Abu Sufyan. Their contingent was also large having eight hundred soldiers and four banner bearers. The bearers were Abu Zu’rah Ma’ba, son of Khalid, Suwayd, son of Sakhr,Rafi, son of Maketh and Abdullah, son of Badr. They also cried out thrice ‘Allah is the Greatest”. A smaller contingent of two hundred from the tribe of Kinanna with their branches from the Banu Layth, Banu Dhamra and Banu Sa’d, son of Bakr with Abu Waqid Lahti carrying their banner. Like the other contingents, they too cried out thrice, “Allah is the Greatest!” as they passed Abu Sufyan. Abu Sufyan asked who they were and Abbas told him, “That is the tribe of Banu Bakr (the tribesmen who deplored the attack on the tribe of Khuza, not their renegade tribesmen who perpetrated the breaking of the treaty).” Abu Sufyan exclaimed, “O yes, by Allah, they are a tribe of misfortune, it is because of them that Muhammad is attacking us, I swear by Allah, that the Koraysh did not consult with me, nor did I have knowledge of the matter” (the Koraysh had been involved in the attack which invalidated the treaty of Hudaybiah). Abu Sufyan continued, “When the news of what happened reached me, I was appalled, however, the matter was predestined.” Abbas replied, “Allah has destined good in this offensive of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, against you, as you will all enter the fold of Islam." 4. Waqidi mentioned that he was informed by Abdullah, son of Amir who narrates from Abu Amr, son of Himas that the contingent from the tribe of Banu Layth numbered two hundred and fifty and that they marched by themselves with Sa’b, son of Juthama carrying their banner and cried out “Allah is the Greatest” thrice as they passed by Abu Sufyan who inquired who they were. The last contingent to pass Abu Sufyan was that of the three hundred tribe of Banu Ash’ja whose banners were carried by Ma’qal, son of Sanaan and Nu’aym, son of Mas’od. Upon seeing them, Abu Sufyan said, “Of all the Arabs. They were the staunchest opponents of Muhammad!” Abbas commented, “Allah has caused Islam to enter into their hearts. That is the grace of Allah.” Abu Sufyan remained silent for a while, then asked, “Has the contingent of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, not passed by?” Abbas replied, “He has not as yet passed by, when you see the contingent of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, you will see only steel, horses, brave men and an army that none has the power to withstand.” Abu Sufyan exclaimed, “O Abul Fadhl, O Abul Fadhl, I am now convinced of this, who has the capacity to resist them!” When the contingent of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, came into sight, all that could be seen was a large mass of dust rising from the hooves of horses. Abu Sufyan kept asking, “Has Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, passed yet?” After all had passed, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, came riding his camel Kaswa with Abu Bakr and Usayd, son of Hudhayr at his side and was speaking to them. Abbas commented, “That is the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, amongst a powerful contingent of Migrants and Ansar. The contingent carried many banners both large and small. Each of the Ansars carried a large and small banner. They were clad in steel armor, and only the white of their eyes were visible. Omar was also clad in armor. He with a loud voice was occupied in the arrangement of the lines of the army. Abu Sufyan asked Abbas, “O Abul Fadl! who is that man with a loud voice?” Abbas replied, “That is Omar, son of Khattab.” Abu Sufyan remarked, “The tribe of Banu Adi (the tribe of Omar) were very few in number and possessed little honor, by Allah, they have now attained great prominence!” To this Abbas replied, “O Abu Sufyan, Allah elevates whosoever He will as He wills. Omar is indeed among those whom Islam has elevated.” The narrator of this report mentioned that there were two thousand coats of armor in that contingent. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had given his flag to Sa’d, son of Ubadah who led the contingent. When Sa’d passed by Abu Sufyan carrying the banner of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he shouted out to Abu Sufyan, “Today is the day of bloodshed! This day the sacredness of the Holy Precincts will be lifted. Today Allah will disgrace the Koraysh!” Upon hearing this, both Abdur Rahman, son of Auf and Othman said to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, we are afraid that the Koraysh will suffer an attack from Sa’d.” Whereupon the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, called out to Abu Sufyan, “O Abu Sufyan, today is a day of mercy. On this day Allah will give honor to the Koraysh.” Having said this, he sent a message to Sa’d to relieve him of his post (as banner bearer) and assigned the task of bearing the banner to Qais, son of Sa’d. It was the intention of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, that the banner would not in fact leave the hand of Sa’d, rather it would remain in his family. However, Sa’d questioned the instruction and refused to hand it over to his son until he received confirmation from the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. To put Sa’ds mind at rest the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, sent him as verification of the instruction his turban so that he would know that the instruction had come from him,.and Sa’d duly handed the flag to his son. 5. Abu Layla narrates that they were with the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, when he informed them that Abu Sufyan was at a place called Arak. Upon hearing that, the Companions went there to take him captive. Their swords remained sheathed as the surrounded him then escorted him to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. Upon his arrival the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said to Abu Sufyan, “Shame on you, O Abu Sufyan, I have brought you the world as well as the Hereafter. Accept Islam and live in peace.” Abbas had been a friend of Abu Sufyan so he told the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, Abu Sufyan is a person who enjoys prestige, so confer upon him a matter of prestige.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, was in agreement and thereafter he sent a herald to Mecca with the announcement, “Whosoever locks his door shall be safe. Whosoever throws down his weapons will be safe. Whosoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan will be safe.” Now that the announcement had been made, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, sent Abu Sufyan with Abbas to sit at the narrow part of the valley. When the tribe of Banu Sulaym passed by, Abu Sufyan asked who they were and Abbas told him that they were the Banu Sulaym. Abu Sufyan remarked, “What have I to do with the Banu Sulaym!” Following the Banu Sulaym came Ali, son of Abi Talib leading the Migrants. When the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, passed by, Abu Sufyan repeated his question whereupon Abbas told him “The red death (men who were ready to fight and kill those who opposed Islam). That is the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him with the Ansar.” Abu Sufyan commented. “I have seen the kingdom of Chosroes, the kingdom of Caesar but I have never seen anything like the kingdom of your nephew.” Abbas replied, “There is nothing greater than the prophethood .” 6. Urwa narrates that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, left Medina with an army of twelve thousand men and that the army was comprised of the Migrants, Helpers and the tribes of Aslam, Ghifar, Juhayna, and Banu Sulaym together with their horses. They rode so swiftly that they were able to reach Marruz Zahran, (which lies just outside Mecca) without the Korayash being aware of their presence. The Koraysh dispatched Hakeem, son of Hizam and Abu Sufyan to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, with the instruction to either secure the peace treaty or declare war against him so Abu Sufyan and Hakeem set out for Medina. On their way they met Budayl, son of Waraqa and asked him to accompany them. When they reach Araa, a place near Mecca night had fallen, and it is there that they suddenly came across a large array of tents and an army and heard the neighing of their horses. Their fears were aroused and they greatly alarmed at the turn of events. They said to one another, “This is must be the tribe of Banu Ka’b (a branch of the injured tribe of Khuza’ah) gathered here intent on war.” Budayl commented, “No, they are more than the tribe of Banu Ka’b, could it be that they might be the tribe of Hawazin searching for grass in our territory? By Allah, we cannot even say this – these numbers are like those of people going on pilgrimage.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had sent cavalry ahead of the army to capture spies. Along the route from Medina to Mecca lived the tribe of the Banu Khuza’ah (the tribe who were attacked by the Banu Bakr) who were now preventing anyone to pass through their area. When Abu Sufyan and his companions reached their area the cavalry seized them and took them to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him and Abu Sufyan and his companions feared they were about to lose their lives. Upon seeing Abu Sufyan, Omar confronted him and beat him on his neck, and the people surrounded Abu Sufyan. He was taken to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and Abu Sufyan fears that he was about to be put to death increased. During the Time of Ignorance, Abbas had been a close friend of Abu Sufyan so Abu Sufyan cried out at the top of his voice, “Will you not hand me over to Abbas?” Abbas arrived and everyone dispersed. Abbas set off to take him to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and ask if he may be granted Abu Sufyan his security. Meanwhile, news of Abu Sufyan’s presence circulated throughout the camp, and Abbas with Abu Sufyan mounted on his ride rode behind him. When Omar beat Abu Sufyan upon his neck Omar had exclaimed, “By Allah, you will die before you even draw near to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him!” and Abu Sufyan told Abbas of his fear and so Abbas gave him his protection. Upon seeing the large number of tribesmen at the camp and observing their high degree of discipline Abu Sufyan commented, “Never before have I seen such a concentration of people as I have seen tonight.” Abbas warned Abu Sufyan, “Indeed if you do not accept Islam and bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, you will be killed.” That night Abu Sufyan spent the night in the tent of Abbas reflecting upon Abbas’ statement that he had been unable to utter. As for Hakeem, son of Hizam, and Budayl, son of Waraqa, they both went to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be up him, embraced Islam and the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, asked them about the people of Mecca. It was now time for the Fajr prayer and the Call to Prayer was announced and everyone gathered in wait for the prayer to offered. Abu Sufyan was alarmed and asked “O Abbas, what are the people doing?” Abbas replied, “They await the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him.” Abbas took Abu Sufyan outside. And upon seeing the Muslims, Abu Sufyan asked, “Do they do everything the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, commands?” “Yes” replied Abbas, “they even stop eating and drinking if the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, commands.” Abbas took Abu Sufyan to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, here is Abu Sufyan.” Abu Sufyan said, “O Muhammad, I prayed to my god for help and you prayed to yours for help, by Allah, it is now clear to me that you have defeated me. If my god had been true and yours false, I would have indeed defeated you.” Having said that Abu Sufyan bore witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Abbas then requested the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, saying, “Permit me to go to your people (the Koraysh in Mecca) to warn them about what is about to befall them and to invite them to Allah and His Messenger.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, gave Abbas his permission. Abbas asked, “What shall I tell them, O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, (tell me something) that will give them assurance of their safety so that they may be at ease.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “Tell them that any person who bears witness that there is no god except Allah, who has no partner, and that Muhammad is the worshiper and Messenger of Allah and throws down his weapons and sits near Ka’bah will be safe as will the person who locks his door.” Abbas then said, ”O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, Abu Sufyan is our cousin and wishes to return with me. Permit him something which will give him repute.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “(Tell the people that) whosoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan will be safe and whosoever enters the house of Hakeem, son of Hizam will also be safe.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this because Abu Sufyan’s house was in the upper end of Mecca and the house of Hakeem was in the lower end. Abu Sufyan understood these announcements well. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, gave Abbas the white mule that Dihya Kalbi had given him as a gift and Abbas left riding it with Abu Sufyan mounted behind him. After Abbas had left, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, sent some of his Companions to catch up with him and call him back. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, also informed them of his fears concerning Abu Sufyan. When the messenger conveyed the message, Abbas did not like to return and asked, “Does the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, fear that Abu Sufyan would forsake Islam to join the few people (in Mecca) and become an unbeliever after having accepted Islam?” Abu Sufyan said, “Is this betrayal O family of Hashim.” Abbas replied, “We never betray anyone. I need you to do something.” Abu Sufyan asked, “What is it so that I may do it for you.” Abbas replied, “You will know what it is when Khalid, son of Waleed and Zubair, son of Awam arrive.” Abbas told him, “Wait by a narrow pass just ahead of Arak and Maruz Zahran” (so that Abu Sufyan might not be in doubt about the huge army that was about to pass by) Abu Sufyan bore the words of Abbas in mind. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, dispatched several contingents of cavalry in succession and divided them into two sections, the first with Zubair, son of Awam and Khalid, son of Waleed which was followed by the other section from the tribes of Aslam, Ghifar and Kadadah tribes. Abu Sufyan asked, “O Abbas, is this the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him?” “No” replied Abbas “it is Khalid, son of Waleed.” Ahead of Khalid, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had placed Sa’d son of Ubadah together with a contingent from the Ansar. As Sa’d passed by Abu Sufyan he cried out, “Today is the day of bloodshed! Today the sacredness of the Holy Precincts will be lifted!” Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, arrived with contingents from the Migrants and Ansars. When Abu Sufyan saw so many faces he did not recognize, he said, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, have you given preference to these people over your own people?” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “You have brought this upon yourselves. These people believed in me when your people called me a liar and it was they who assisted me when your people expelled me (from Mecca).” On that day, Aqra, son of Habis, Abbas, son of Mirdas and Uyayna, son of Hisn Fazan were with the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. Upon seeing them Abu Sufyan asked Abbas who the people were. Abbas replied, “These are the contingent of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, with him is the red death – they are the Migrants and Ansars. Abu Sufyan exclaimed, “O Abbas, I have never seen an army or group as large as the one I have seen today.” Zubair, son of Awaam proceeded with his contingent until they reach Hajoon, while Khalid, son of Waleed advanced further and entered the lower end of Mecca and it was there that he encountered resistance from the tribe of Banu Bakr who engaged them in combat. Allah granted Khalid victory over them and some were killed at Hazwara whereas others escaped and fled to their homes. The Muslims pursued those on horseback up the hill of Handama. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, entered Mecca with the last contingent, and a herald announced. “Whosoever locks himself in his house without fighting will be safe.” At the same time, Abu Sufyan cried out, “Accept Islam and remain in safety.” Upon hearing this, Hind the wife of Abu Sufyan grabbed hold of his beard and shouted out, “O family of Ghalib, kill this madman!” Abu Sufyan shouted saying, “Let go of my beard, I swear by Allah you will undoubtedly be executed if you do not accept Islam. Woe to you! The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, has come with the truth, go home and hide.” 7. SUHAYL , SON OF AMR EMBRACES ISLAM AND TESTIFIES TO THE NOBLE CHARACTER OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH, praise and peace be upon him Suhyal, son of Amr narrates that when the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, entered Mecca, he went to his house and locked the doors and sent his son Abdullah to secure amnesty for him from the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, as he feared he would be put to death. Abdullah went to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, will you grant amnesty to my father?” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “Yes, indeed he has the protection of Allah and may leave his house.” Then addressing his Companions he said, “Whosoever meets Suhayl should not look at him sternly so that he may leave his house in peace. I swear by my life that Suhayl possesses both intelligence and esteem. A person such as he cannot be ignorant about Islam. He already realizes that whatever effort he made (against Islam) have been futile.” Abdullah returned to his father and reported what the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had said. Suhayl exclaimed, “By Allah, he was an excellent person in his youth and now in old age.” Suhayl then left his house and went to meet the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and although he remained an unbeliever accompanied him at the Battle of Hunain. However after the battle Suhyal accepted Islam at Jirana and the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, gave him from the spoils of war a hundred camels. 8. THE SPEECH OF THE PROPHET ON THE DAY MECCA WAS OPENED, praise and peace be upon him Omar narrates that on the Day Mecca was opened the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, sent for Safwan, son of Umayah, Abu Sufyan, son of Harb and Harith, son of Hisham. Upon their arrival Omar said, “Allah has given us power over them today, I will remind them of what they did in the past.” As Omar was saying this, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, spoke saying, “My example and yours is like that of Joseph and his brothers, then he recited: “He (Joseph) replied, 'Let no reproach be on you this day. Allah will forgive you He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.” Koran Ch. 12-92. Upon hearing this Omar said that as he stood before the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he covered his head in embarrassment. 9. The son of Abi Husayn narrates that when the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him opened Mecca he entered the Ka’bah and when he came out, he placed his hands on its door frames and said (to the people gathered there) “What have you people to say?” Suhayl, son of Amr said, "You will treat us as a kind kinsman or as a merciful brother would." The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “I shall say as my brother Joseph said: “He (Joseph) replied, 'Let no reproach be on you this day. Allah will forgive you He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.” Koran Ch. 12-92. “I shall ask my Lord to give you. He is Forgiving, the Most Merciful” Koran, Ch 12:98 10. Abu Hurayrah narrates In part of a lengthy Hadith that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, went to the Ka’bah and as he held on to its doorframe, asked, “What do you people have to say, what are you expecting?” The crowd replied thrice, "We say you are our nephew and a most lenient and merciful son of our uncle.” You will treat us as a kind kinsman or as a merciful brother would." The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “I will say as Joseph said, “Let no reproach be on you this day, Allah will forgive you He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.” Abu Hurayah continues saying, the people dispersed, just as if they had been revived from their tombs and embraced Islam 11. Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri narrates in his reference Ar-Raheeq Al Makhtum that Az-Zubair was instructed to erect the banner and wait for the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, to arrive at Al Fath Mosque. A tent was pitched for him and he offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Almighty Allah, who, out of His immense grace, had granted him a splendid (peaceful) victory. Soon after the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, in the company of the Helpers and Emigrants proceeded towards Ka’bah, the Sacred House, which is an emblem of the Oneness and Supremacy of Allah. Over the years the Sacred precincts of Ka’bah had been desecrated by 360 idols and as the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, pointed to each one of them they toppled over and fell, smashed to the ground as he recited: “Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood will certainly vanish.” Koran Ch.17:81 And “Say (O Muhammad), 'Truth has come. falsehood has vanished and shall return no more.'” Koran Ch.34:49 The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, circumambulated Ka’bah on his camel. He was not in a state of ritual consecration (Ihram) at that point. Upon his completion of the circumambulation, he called for Othman, son of Talha, the custodian of Ka’bah and received its key. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, opened the door of Ka’bah and found that images of Prophets Abraham and Ishmael, peace be upon them, casting divining arrows had been place there together with other idols. He rebuked the Koraysh for having done such a thing and ordered the idols and images to be destroyed. Then, he entered the Sacred room and with his back to the door devoutly prostrated, then walked around the room exalting Allah. Thereafter he returned to the door of Ka’bah and as he stood upon its elevated step he gazed in thankfulness at the multitude of people who had gathered there and delivered the following sermon: “There is no god except Allah, alone. He has no associates. He made good His Promise to his worshiper (Muhammad) thereby defeating the confederates. Bear in mind that every privileged claim, no matter whether it is that of blood or property is under my feet (meaning under his control), except that of the custody of Ka’bah and supplying water to the pilgrims. Bear in mind that for anyone who is slain, even though it was not a deliberate act, with club or whip, for him the payment of blood-money is very severe - a hundred camels, forty of which are to be pregnant. O people of Koraysh, indeed Allah has taken away from you your pride of the pre-Islamic era and all conceit in your ancestry. All men are descended from Adam, and Adam was made out of clay whereupon he recited: ‘People, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that you might know one another. The noblest of you before Allah is the most righteous of you. Allah is the Knower, the Aware.’ Koran Ch.49:13 The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, continued saying: “O people of Koraysh what do you people have to say, what are you expecting?” The crowd replied thrice, "We say you are our nephew and a most lenient and merciful son of our uncle.” You will treat us as a kind kinsman or as a merciful brother would." The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “I will say as Joseph said and recited “Let no reproach be on you this day, Allah will forgive you He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.” Koran Ch. 12-92 12. Concerning this eventful day Imam Bayhaqi states that Imam Shafi’ narrated from Imam Abu Yusuf that when the people gathered in the Holy Mosque, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “What do you suppose I am going to do with you?” They replied, “(You will do only) Good, because you are a kind hearted kinsman, and the son of a kind hearted brother.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, then said, “Go, you are free.” 13. IKRIMA, SON OF ABI JAHL EMBRACES ISLAM Abdullah, son of Zubair narrates that on the day Mecca was opened, Ummu Hakem, daughter of Harith, son of Hisham embraced Islam. Ummu Hakem was the wife of Ikrima and asked the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, Ikrima has absconded to Yemen. He fears you will put him to death. Please grant him amnesty.” Whereupon the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, told her that he had given him amnesty. Umm Hakeem, went in search of Ikrima, taking with her, her Roman slave. The slave continuously tried to seduce her, but she managed avoid his advances by giving him hope. When she reached the tribe of Uk she sought their assistance whereupon, the tribesmen caught him and bound him. It was at the coast of Tihama that Umm Hakeem caught up with Ikrima who had boarded a ship. Before boarding the ship its captain said to him, “Recite the words of sincerity.” Ikrima asked him what he should say, whereupon its captain told him say, “There is no god except Allah.” Ikrima said, “It is this from which I am fleeing.” As they spoke Umm Hakeem arrived and started to wave a cloth (to attract their attention) as she shouted, “O my cousin, I have come to you from he who best maintains kinship, who is the most pious of people and best of people. Do not destroy yourself!” Ikrima waited for her to board whereupon she said, “I have secured amnesty for you from the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him.” Ikrima asked, “Is this a certainty?” “Yes” she replied, “I spoke with the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and he has granted you amnesty.” Having heard the good news Ikrima returned with his wife and she told him about the experience she had with their Roman slave. As of yet, Ikrima had not embraced Islam and killed the slave. News reached Mecca of Ikrima’s approach. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions, “Ikrima, son of Abu Jahl is coming to you as a believing immigrant therefore do not curse his father because cursing the dead only hurts the living without reaching the dead.” Upon Ikrima’s and his wife’s return to Mecca, Ikrima tried several times to cohabit with his wife but she refused saying, “You are an unbeliever, whereas I am a Muslim.” Ikrima remarked, “That which prevents you from me must be something very great.” Upon seeing Ikrima, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, hastened out of happiness towards him and did not have time to put on his upper shawl. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, sat down while Ikrima stood before him with his wife who covered herself with a veil. Ikrima said, “O Muhammad, this lady has told me that you have granted me amnesty.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, affirmed that it was so saying, “Your safety is assured.” Ikrima then asked, “What do you invite towards?” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “I invite you to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. I also invite you toward establishing the prayer and paying the obligatory charity (zakat).” Thereafter the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, mentioned several other things that he should do. Ikrima said, “By Allah, you have invited me to nothing but the truth and excellent, beautiful actions. By Allah, even before you started inviting toward your invitation, you were always the most truthful of us and also the most righteous. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the worshiper and Messenger of Allah.” Whereupon happiness spread over the face of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. Then Ikrima asked, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, teach me the best thing to say.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, told him, “Say, I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the worshiper and Messenger of Allah.” Ikrima then asked what else he could say, so the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, told him, “Say, I make Allah and all who are present witness to the fact that I am a Muslim, a fighter and migrant.” Ikrima gratefully repeated the words of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said to Ikrima, “I will grant you anything you ask if it is within my power to do so.” Ikrima asked, “I ask you to seek the forgiveness of Allah for all the enmity I showed towards you, for every journey I undertook to oppose you, for every battle I fought against you and for every harsh word I said either to your face or behind your back.” Whereupon the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, supplicated saying, “O Allah, forgive him for all the enmity he displayed against me, for every journey he undertook to any destination with the intention of extinguishing Your light. Also, forgive him for each defamatory remark he made either to my face or behind my back.” Ikrima was well pleased and expressed his gratitude to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, saying, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, I swear by Allah that for all the expense I bore opposing the Religion of Allah, I will spend double that amount in the path of Allah. I also swear that for every battle I fought opposing the Religion of Allah I shall fight twice the number of battles in the path of Allah.” (He was true to his word and) Ikrima fought in each hostility until he was martyred. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, renewed Ikrima’s marriage without a new contractual obligation. 14. Abdullah, son of Zubair also rendered the same account but with fewer words. He said, that when Ikrima reached the door of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he was so overjoyed at his arrival that he jumped up from where he was sitting. 15. Urwa, son of Zubair narrates from Ikrima that when he (Ikrima) met the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, he said, “O Muhammad, this woman has informed upon him, replied, “Indeed, you have been granted amnesty.” Ikrima responded saying, “I bear witness that there is no god except the One, Allah who has no partner and that Muhammad is the worshiper and Messenger of Allah. I also bear witness that you are the best of people, the most truthful person and the one who best fulfils his promises.” Ikrima said that he had out of embarrassment, bowed his head as he said this. Thereafter, Ikrima said, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, seek the forgiveness of Allah for me for all the enmity I have displayed towards you, for every journey I undertook to promote disbelief.” Whereupon, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, supplicated, “O Allah, forgive Ikrima for all the enmity he displayed towards me and for journeys he undertook with the intention of preventing people from the Religion.” Ikrima then asked the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, to teach him the best thing he knew so that he too might learn. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, advised him that together with striving in the path of Allah, he should recite: ‘I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the worshiper and Messenger of Allah.’ Ikrima continued and said, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, I swear by Allah that for every expense I bore to oppose the Religion of Allah, I shall spend double that amount, and I swear that for every battle I fought opposing the Religion of Allah I shall fight double their number in the path of Allah.” Notes: In the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, appointed Ikrima to collect the obligatory charity from the tribe of Hawazin. Ikrima fought in the way of Allah and became a martyr at the Battle of Ainadeen during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr. When the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, passed away, Ikrima was in Tabalah, Yemen. 16. SUHYAL, SON OF AMR AT THE BATTLE OF HUNAIN Waqidi narrated that during the Battle of Hunain, Suhayl, son of Amr said referring to the tribes of Thakif and Hawazin, ”The Muslims have never before experienced the like of these two tribes.” Ikrima replied saying, “One should not speak like this, everything lies in the control of Allah, and Muhammad has no control over affairs. If he is defeated today, tomorrow will bring promising results.” Suhayl (who had not as yet converted) mocked him saying, “By Allah, it was not long ago that you opposed the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, “ Ikrima responded, “By Allah, all our previous efforts have been futile. We considered ourselves to be intelligent people, yet we worshiped stones that could neither harm nor give any benefit!” 17. THE CONVERSION OF SAFWAN, SON OF UMAYAH Abdullah, son of Zubair narrates that when Mecca was opened, Baghom, daughter of Mu’adda from the tribe of Kinanah, wife of Safwan, son of Umayah embraced Islam whereas Safwan absconded from Mecca with his slave Yasar. When they reached a valley, he said to Yasar, “Do you see who I see?” Yasar replied, “It is Umayr, son of Wahab.” Safwan said, “What have I got to do with Umayr, by Allah, he has come to kill me and has assisted the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, against me. “ Umayr approached and Safwan said, “Aren’t you satisfied with what you have already done to me? You placed the burden of settling your debts and caring for your family on me and now you have come to kill me.” Umayr replied, “O Abu Wahab, may my life be sacrified for you. I have come to you from the best of people and the one who best maintains family ties.” Before receiving permission to look for Safwan, Umayr had gone to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, the chieftain of our people has absconded from Mecca to throw himself into the ocean in fear that you will not grant him amnesty. May my parents be sacrificed for you! Please grant him amnesty” thereupon the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, granted Safwan, son of Umayah amnesty.” And it was because of the amnesty that Umayr had come in search of Safwan to tell him the good news. Safwan was doubtful of the amnesty and exclaimed, “By Allah, I will never return with you until you bring me an identifiable sign. Umayr returned to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and told him whereupon the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “Take my turban.” Umayr set out for the valley in which he had found Safwan with the turban which was in fact the stripped shawl the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had tied around his head to make a turban on the day of the opening of Mecca. When Umayr found Safwan, he said, “O Abu Wahab, I have come to you from the best of people, and the most tolerant. His honor is yours, his dignity is yours and his kingdom is yours for his forefathers and yours are the same. For your own good I advise you to fear Allah.” Safwan replied, “I fear that I will be killed.” Umayr said, “The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, invites you to accept Islam. It would be best if you accept it willingly, if not you have two month’s grace. Of all people, he honors his word and has sent you the shawl he wore as a turban when he entered Mecca. Would you recognize it?” “Yes, indeed” replied Safwan. Whereupon Umayr took out the turban and Safwan said, “That is certainly the turban of the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him.” Safwan returned with Umayr to Mecca and reached the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, as he was occupied in leading the Asr prayer in the Sacred Mosque. As they waited (on horseback), Safwan asked, “How many prayers do the Muslims offer each day and night?” Umayr replied that the offered five prayers. Then Safwan asked, “Is Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, leading them in prayer?” Umayr affirmed that it was. After the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, had made the final Salam (at the end of the prayer). Safwan called out, “O Muhammad, Umayr, son of Wahab has brought me here with your shawl and says that you asked me to come to you. He says that it would be best for me to willingly accept Islam, otherwise you will permit me two months grace. “The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said, “Dismount O Abu Wahab.” “By Allah” exclaimed Safwan, “I will never dismount until you verify this for me.” The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “You shall have a grace period of four months.” Upon hearing this Safwan dismounted. Later, when the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, marched against the tribe of Hawazin, Safwan marched with him even though he had not as yet embraced Islam. When the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, sent someone with the request for a loan of some weapons to aid the Muslims, Safwan sent a hundred coats of armor together with all its accompanying weapons and asked, the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, “Will this be taken with my permission or by force?”. The Messenger of Allah told him that it was a loan and that it would be returned.” Safwan loaded his mounts with the equipment and took it to Hunain and witnessed the hostilities of Hunain and Ta’if. He accompanied the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, to Ji’ramah. Safwan was with the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon, as he inspected the spoils of war. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and Safwan went to a valley in which many herds of camels, goats and shepherds had been driven. The Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, noticed how taken Safwan was by the sight of so many animals whereupon he asked, “Does this valley please you?” “Indeed it does” replied Safwan, "Then," said the Prophet praise and peace be upon him, "it is yours, and all that is in it." The overwhelmed Safwan exclaimed, "I bear witness that there is no god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the worshiper and Messenger of Allah.” 18. In another narration, Safwan said that the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, asked him to loan him some weapons and that he had asked if he was taking them by force. To this the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, replied, “I only wish to borrow them and anything that is damaged will be replaced.” During the hostilities at Hunain some of the coats of armor were destroyed and so the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, approached Safwan in order to reimburse him for the damages. Safwan declined saying, “O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, today, I have a greater desire to accept Islam (rather than being reimbursed). May Allah be pleased with all the Companions.